Fact Check: Did Evan Longoria save a reporter from being hit by a ball? Story behind famous MLB video

Several years ago, Evan Longoria was one of the top third basemen in baseball and an All-Star for the Tampa Bay Rays. He was arguably the face of the franchise during that time and one of baseball’s most recognizable faces.

Everyone got a chance to see whether or not they could recognize him when a video of him presumably saving a reporter’s life went viral. A foul ball headed straight for her head and Longoria caught it just before it made contact- barehanded, too.

The ball would have undoubtedly knocked the reporter out, but Longoria reacted just in time and caught it before nonchalantly flipping it back to the field. He was hailed as a hero, but unfortunately, this was fake.

Evan Longoria did not save a woman’s life by catching a foul ball

Ultimately, Evan Longoria’s pretend catch was a marketing campaign. He had already shot an official promotion with Gilette and they asked if he could do a short extra one. All they needed was the stadium lights and a handheld camera.

It turned out to be a brilliant move because Gilette did this several years ago and it’s still being talked about today. Unfortunately, Longoria isn’t a hero, save for perhaps what he did on the field for the Rays and San Francisco Giants.

In hindsight, there’s no way the Rays would have allowed an interview to be conducted behind first base while live batting practice was going on. That’s dangerous and they would be liable for any injuries that undoubtedly would occur.